I Buried My Heart In Bethesda
by alexandriaZ
Summary: My contribution to the Wedding Bells Challenge at CCOAC Assigned pairing, Derek Morgan and David Rossi Join David Rossi, Derek Morgan and the rest of the team as Dave prepares to take his fourth trip to the alter. Prompts used, a minister, the honeymoon, a wedding mishap, gold wedding bands and the bridal veil. This IS NOT SLASH


**This is my contribution for the Wedding Bells Challenge at the Chit Chat On Author's Corner forum.**

**My chosen Character was David Rossi and my assigned character was Derek Morgan.**

**Chosen prompts- a wedding mishap, gold wedding bands, and the honeymoon. **

**Prompts used, Minister, gold wedding bands, the honeymoon, wedding mishap and the veil.**

**Criminal Minds is owned by CBS and their affiliates if I were a part of that season eight would have ended differently.**

**Just sayn' **

**-Z**

David Rossi sat on the edge of the bed massaging his aching temples. A hangover was not the way he wanted to start his wedding day. He knew better than to let Derek and Reid host his bachelor party but with any luck, his new wife would just kill him before he had time to change his will. He shook his head and swallowed two aspirin. Then he got up and went through the motions of getting ready to take his fourth trip down the aisle. Pulling on his tie he looked in the mirror and Erin's face flashed in front of him. His hand reached for the glass and for a split second, she was his again. Like the events of New York never happened.

A knock on the door caused him to drop his hand. "Don't go anywhere." He muttered as he moved to answer the door. Derek Morgan stood in front of him dressed in a full tuxedo. He took one look at Dave and knew something wasn't right. "Rossi, you okay, Man? You had a little too much to drink last night-"

Dave cut him off, "I'm good, Derek. But I wonder if we could just skip the whole wedding and move straight to the honeymoon." He joked.

They shared a chuckle as Derek waggled his eyebrows, "Yeah I hear ya. I gotta pick up Garcia so I'll see you later."

**~Insert Page Break Here~**

"Whoa Baby girl somebody call the fire department!" Derek said, as he held open the door of the black town car.

Penelope climbed into the passenger seat, and tugged at his lapels, "I'd like to pop my chocolate drop in my mouth." She said flirtatiously.

Derek chuckled, "Oh Baby, I'd melt."

Penelope grinned, "I have no doubt."

**~Insert Page Break Here~**

They pulled up to the hotel and Penelope linked her arm through Derek's. They walked up the marble stairs past a stone waterfall and into the building. "That looks familiar." Derek said as they walked past an arrangement of purple flowers and peacock feathers.

"Well if the theme fits." Penelope said, adjusting the feather in her hair.

"Hey, Pretty Boy. Are you protesting or did you overdo it last night?" Derek asked, noticing Spencer's sunglasses and green complexion.

"Morgan, that makes no sense, if I were protesting why would I make myself sick? What point would that prove?"

Derek chuckled, "Okay Kid."

They walked a little further into the room wooden chairs lined the spaces next to the marble aisle that would later be covered in petals. Penelope turned to Derek with wide eyes,

"So how much do you think a wedding like this would cost?"

"Well, if we factor in the divorce, I'd say somewhere around fifty million."

"Not if I can help it." Penelope said darkly.

Derek looked at her in shock, "You wouldn't."

She nodded, "I. Did."

"Baby, you know you can't do that."

"Too late, look, she's only marrying into this family to get her cut of Casa De Rossi. When it's over, he'll thank me. Until then, Sugar, let's keep it between us."

Derek nodded, "If this had happened a year ago, you wouldn't have had to go through the trouble."

"I mean, at least Strauss genuinely cared about Rossi she didn't need or want his money. I mean does this woman even know Dave? Does she even care? Why would she, they've only been together how long? Five months?" Penelope rambled uncontrollably.

Derek put his hand on her shoulder, "I know it sucks, but it's his life."

JJ appeared next to Penelope, and whispered conspiratorially, "Speaking of Strauss, I just caught a glimpse of the bride-"

Penelope covered her mouth with her hand, "Oh my God, is it that bad?"

JJ nodded seriously, "She dyed her hair and everything."

Penelope shook her head in despair, "Somebody has to stop this."

"Stop what?" Penelope wheeled around, Hotch and Jack stood behind JJ.

JJ motioned toward the aisle, "Stop this. Hotch, somebody has to stop this wedding before Rossi loses everything."

"Look, I'm not disagreeing with you. I have a hard time believing that Dave even likes this woman. He and Erin knew each other for over twenty years. They knew how to push each other to their breaking points but instead of falling apart they each came back stronger because of it. When she got sober, they grew even closer. I think now he's just lonely and doesn't know how to fix it."

Music began to play and everyone moved into the room and took their seats.

"Come on Jack." Hotch and Jack disappeared through a door in the back of the room.

Derek shook his head, "Spend enough time with someone and you can't see your life without them."

**~Insert Page Break Here~**

Dave stood in his hotel room, he was fully dressed in his tuxedo. He heard the music start but he couldn't bring himself to leave the room. He sat down at the desk and opened the drawer and pulled out the two tickets bound for Paris France. He'd lied to Derek when he'd said he wanted to get to the honeymoon. Touring France was not on his bucket list. The one place he wanted to be was Bethesda Maryland. He did his best to purge that thought out of his mind as he got up and left the room.

**~Insert Page Break Here~**

He stood at the top of the aisle, blue rose petals covered the floor in front of him, Hotch, Derek and Reid stood behind him serving as his groom's-men. Along with Jack, the Ring Bearer. A group of twenty-something women, all dressed in identical bright green dresses who's names Dave couldn't remember, filed down the aisle.

The music slowed and the crowd stood as the bride made her way down the aisle. Dave shook his head to clear it as Erin's face appeared in front of him.

"You okay, Uncle Dave?" Jack whispered.

Dave did his best to smile down at Jack, "Yeah Buddy, I'm okay."

The bride stopped at the alter and the Minister began to speak,

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of David Rossi and Josie Sutlers if anyone has any objections as to why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace."

Silence fell over the audience, and Dave lifted his bride's veil, shoulder length blonde hair and gray eyes met his. For the first time in a year, he smiled a genuine smile.

"I never thought I'd be given the chance to have a woman like you in my life. We've seen each other through more than I thought possible and I've never been happier. I know how lucky I am to have you as my wife. Erin, I love you."

A gasp echoed through the audience, Penelope grabbed Derek's arm, "Did he just-"

Derek nodded.

"What did you say?" A shrill voice asked as anger clouded her blue eyes.

Dave shook his head, "I said I love you."

"You called me Erin!" She said, pulling off the veil and tossing it to the floor.

A hush fell over the room and Dave couldn't find his tongue.

"You bastard! You don't have anything to say!" She screeched as she grabbed the gold bands and threw them towards Dave before storming out of the hotel.

He turned around addressed the audience, "Well I guess it wasn't meant to be. I apologize for the inconvenience but there's plenty of food and the hall has already been paid for so eat, drink, have a good time. Thank you all for coming." He said as he headed back to his room.

He pulled out the plane tickets and put them in his pocket, there was no reason for a perfectly good vacation to go to waste.

He caught up to Derek at the bar, "Take these, I think Penelope might like Paris." He said, handing him the tickets.

Derek looked at him in surprise, "Rossi, are you serious?"

Dave shrugged, "Why waste."

"What happened up there?" Penelope asked, Dave heard the concern in her voice and dropped his shoulders.

"I buried my heart in Bethesda." He admitted softly.


End file.
